Is there a spell for this?

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

Let's say you're a wiz 5 in a valley and protecting a long, slow, but time-sensitive caravan when you hear an avalanche. What spell would you need to have prepared to make the rocks fall on a force barrier and not completely block your caravan's path?

Normally a metamagic rod of sculting with Resilient Sphere would work, but there are no creatures up ahead to target yet and the pace is too slow for just one or two castings. Is there another low level spell that would protect the path from the very heavy rocks?

Or is there a way to make a spell harmless (automatically allowing creatures to pass their save) in return for a higher level duration? Resilient sphere was really meant to be a debuff on an enemy rather than utility for allies...

[zook1shoe]

Wide tall wall of force?

(prob should go in Ask a Q)

[vaz]

Cleric 8 with consumptive Field can Stone Shape up to 22cubic ft of stone, roughly roughly 2x3x4 metres which *should* be enough to make a hole large enough to move through. Or multiple castings.

A cleric was used for the CL boosting ease, but Druid and Cleric have access at 5th, Sor/Wiz at 7th.

[Craiconn]

I'm AFB right now, but would the Dark Way or Bridge of Sound spells work?  They are both castable by a 5th level Wizard from what I recall.  Dark Way is the updated and massively reconfigured version of Bridge of Sound (which is from Savage Species).

[Azrael]

Assuming you could cast a few spells before the avalanche fell, and the rocks in the avalanche aren't tiny, you could cast a few Force Ladders to block the rocks. Of course your caravan would have to get through within 5 rounds.

If you are nearby Leomund's tiny hut, might work. I'm not sure exactly what it can keep out, an avalanche might be too much force and would collapse it.

Other than that, I can't think of any spells of 3rd level or lower.

[kitep]

Wall of Chains (BOVD, but not evil) produces a wall of spiked chains - not force, but it may block the avalanche.  And it's a Wiz3 spell, so you can cast it with a 5th level wizard.

[phaedrusxy]

Dark Way can only hold 200 lbs/CL. So it might not be strong enough.

[zook1shoe]

Wall of Incarnum is unbreakable, just the area protected is small, but Sudden Widen and a Rod of Twin or Repeat could help

   Wall of Incarnum [Magic of Incarnum]
Conjuration (Creation) [Incarnum]
Level: Anagakok 3, Beholder Mage 3, Chameleon 3, Deathwalker 3, Fleshcrafter 3, Incarnum 3, Sha’ir 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3, Soul Reaper 3
Components: V, S, M, Essentia
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10 ft / level)
Effect: Incarnum wall whose area is up to one 5ft-square / level
Duration: 1 minute / level (D)
Saving Throw: Will partial; see text
Spell Resistance: No
   You cause a flat, vertical, opaque barrier of incarnum to spring into being. The wall cannot be conjured so that it occupies the same space as a creature or another object, but it can be adjacent to such. It must always be a fl at plane, although you can shape its edges to fit the available space. The wall of incarnum must be anchored to a surface, but this can be a floor, a ceiling, or even a wall. The wall of incarnum can’t be moved once it is created.
   A wall of incarnum is 1 inch thick. It can be dispelled, but it cannot be damaged or broken, and spells cannot pass through it. Ethereal creatures can pass through it, but any other creature (including the caster) attempting to pass through a wall must succeed on a Will save or be blocked by the barrier. Regardless of the save’s result, the wall of incarnum deals 1d4 points of essentia damage (or Wisdom damage if the creature has no essentia) to the creature.
   Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the wall of incarnum increases the damage dealt on a failed Will save by 1 point.
   Material Component: A tiny, shield-shaped piece of blue quartz.

[vaz]

There is no mention of unattended objects passing through the "wall". And that considering creatures can pass through it, there's precedence which suggests that objects can pass through.

[zook1shoe]

True... Good luck

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

I'm so sad that Resilient Sphere doesn't work, mainly due to duration. It fits the flavor well, but I never see it used offensively (which explains the how short it lasts).

Is there any way to make it last longer besides CL shenanigans? It's not persistable and extend isn't enough.

[Gazzien]

I'm so sad that Resilient Sphere doesn't work, mainly due to duration. It fits the flavor well, but I never see it used offensively (which explains the how short it lasts).

Is there any way to make it last longer besides CL shenanigans? It's not persistable and extend isn't enough.

7 minutes isn't enough?

[SolEiji]

There is no mention of unattended objects passing through the "wall". And that considering creatures can pass through it, there's precedence which suggests that objects can pass through.

But (nonmagic) objects always fail their saves.

[ketaro]

There is no mention of unattended objects passing through the "wall". And that considering creatures can pass through it, there's precedence which suggests that objects can pass through.

But (nonmagic) objects always fail their saves.

Unattended nonmagical objects.
An avalanche is not attended by a character~

[vaz]

Tgat would be fine if there was need for objects to make a save. It specifies crratures need to save. Otherwise?

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

I'm so sad that Resilient Sphere doesn't work, mainly due to duration. It fits the flavor well, but I never see it used offensively (which explains the how short it lasts).

Is there any way to make it last longer besides CL shenanigans? It's not persistable and extend isn't enough.

7 minutes isn't enough?

No. Just too long a line and too slow.

[Gazzien]

I'm so sad that Resilient Sphere doesn't work, mainly due to duration. It fits the flavor well, but I never see it used offensively (which explains the how short it lasts).

Is there any way to make it last longer besides CL shenanigans? It's not persistable and extend isn't enough.

7 minutes isn't enough?

No. Just too long a line and too slow.

Jeez, even assuming a 20' move speed, they could make double-moves, that's... (40'/round) * (10 rounds/minute) * (7 minutes) = 2800'... That's a heck of an avalance, you sure it's not a mountain making a few 5' adjustments?

[linklord231]

Wikipedia says a "medium" avalanche, big enough to bury a car or destroy a small building, can be up to 1000 meters long.  It's suck to be 400' from the end when the spell runs out. 

[ketaro]

Length does not equal width. The length of an avalanche would be the distance from where it starts to where it ends, i.e: from the top of a mountain to the bottom of the mountain. Avalanches are not usually that wide. You could also gather this from watching some in action, probably on youtube.

Now, in the mentioned valley in the OP, unless an entire mountain or entire cliff side is coming down on the caravan, then it's probably not going to be much distance needed to cover underneath whatever sort of method is used to best protect against falling rocks. I would hazard a guess at only needing to cover a couple to several hundred feet.

[SorO_Lost]

Wait for the avalanche, Passwall!